Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) filed complaints with the Election Commission citing violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by BJP polling agents who were allegedly seen using pens with symbols of the ruling party. Congress leaders also alleged BJP workers “threatened” voters while “anti-social” elements tried to stall the voting process in some areas.
Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) P Bharathi said she took note of the complaints and appropriate action was directed.
State Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil also took to X and Instagram to post videos of the incident, where Gohil is seen questioning the presiding officer for turning a blind eye to the issue as he accused the poll body of not acting on the GPCC complaint.
“I had gone to cast my vote at the Sector 19 polling station in Gandhinagar where the polling agents were using pens with the BJP symbol. This was at around 11.30 am. The matter had come to our notice around 8 am when our workers from the ground sent us reports. We had immediately drawn the attention of the Election Commission in the matter but no action was taken..,” Gohil said.
The GPCC, in its letter to the EC, said, “It is to draw attention to the violation of using materials and pens, bearing symbols of the BJP, by the polling agents and officers working in the polling booth in the entire state of Gujarat, where election is in process. The pens have a picture or symbol of the BJP party and the same is being used within the polling booths…”
The complaint also stated, “Each and every polling booth is decorated with flags and torans with the symbol of the BJP. It is a clear cut violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Above mentioned corrupt practice adopted by the BJP to influence the election process.”
The Congress also filed separate complaints regarding alleged “threats” issued to voters and voters being “stalled” from voting. In a second complaint, the GPCC stated that “anti-socials (elements) prevented minority voters from polling in the polling stations of Bhata School of 42-Vejalpur Assembly seat in Gandhinagar parliamentary constituency.” The party also alleged that threats were issued to voters of Rotary Nagar in Morbi in Kutch.
“A BJP worker named Ravi Govind has been threatening the voters stating that if they do not vote for the BJP, they will not be allowed to cast their vote or step into the polling station… He has been trying to stall the polling process in the area,” the complaint stated.
Congress Banaskantha candidate Geni Thakor took to X, posting a video in which she allegedly “caught a man”, who was going around polling stations in her constituency threatening voters.
In Vadodara, Kalpesh Patel, Congress unit general secretary and election agent of the party, submitted a complaint to the district election officer as he claimed that names of several voters were “missing” from electoral rolls in polling booths in the Raopura and Vadodara assembly constituencies.
In the complaint filed before the DEO, Patel said, “In Daliawadi polling station in 144-Raopura Assembly and Adarsh School polling station in 141 Vadodara City Assembly, names of several voters were missing from the electoral rolls, taking away the right of the voters to exercise their franchise. Despite having voter ID cards, they could not vote. People who turned up at voting centres to cast their votes returned disappointed…”
CEO Bharati said the complaints have been considered and appropriate action has been directed. “We had instructed all the district collectors to ensure immediately that no one carries merchandise or stationery items with symbols of political parties. I have asked them to tell polling agents also to leave such pens outside the polling stations… I have also instructed the local commissioners of police and superintendents of police to look into the complaints of threats in the respective constituencies from where the complaints have been received.”
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